NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago are teaming up with animal shelters across the Chicago area to find loving homes for pets in need. It's all part of Clear the Shelters, a nationwide pet adoption initiative, on Aug. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dozens of shelters in Chicago and the suburbs will waive or discount fees as part of the one-day adoption drive. The waived fees apply to animals ages six months and older (not kittens or puppies), and all individual shelters' adoption policies apply.
Find a participating shelter near you in the list below:
Animal Services and Assitance Programs
Farm & Fleet at 11501 Route 14 Woodstock, 60098
815-568-2921
Their shelter is home to more than 100 cats. Many of their cats are available for adoption, some of our cats are waiting for barn homes and. The remaining cats are senior cats and those needing daily medical care who will live out the rest of their lives in comfort with love.
This shelter will only have adult cats up for adoption.
Animal Welfare League
10305 SW. Highway, Chicago Ridge
708-636-8586
Local
This shelter was started to stop the suffering of animals and is the only humane society on the south side of Chicago. The Wabash shelter operates in an economically depressed area and provides valuable services to residents such as shelter and care to homeless and needy animals, low cost clinic services to pet owners on a limited income and no-charge monthly pet food distribution.
This shelter houses the largest number of adoptable animals from a non-profit organization in the entire mid-west.
Aurora Animal Care and Control
600 S. River St. Aurora, IL 60506
630-256-3630
The Division of Animal Control and Care promotes and protects public safety through sheltering, pet placement programs, education and animal law enforcement. Their purpose is to provide responsive, efficient and high quality animal care and control services that preserves and protects public and animal safety.
A Refuge for Saving the Wildlife Inc. Rescue the Birds
Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Rd, Highland Park, 60035
Their goal is to rescue parrots who have been neglected, abused, injured or surrendered because their owners can no longer care for them. They then find the parrots forever homes where they can thrive. They will waive fees for adult parrots.
They will be at the Ravinia location from 2:30PM -7PM
C.A.R.E (Community Animal Rescue Effort)
1962 Peterson St. Chicago
847-732-1147
C.A.R.E is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with a mission to serve the communities of Chicago’s North Shore by fostering and supporting healthy, positive relationships between people and companion animals.
*This rescue will only have cats up for adoption.
CatNap from the Heart
1101 Beach Ave., LaGrange Park
708-352-3914
The shelter CatNap From the Heart has limited-access shelter for cats, birds and small mammals and they do not euthanize for cage space.
There is no time limit for any animal as the shelter is committed to finding the right home and to taking the time to carefully match the needs and the personalities of both people and adopted animals.
DuPage County Animal Care & Control
120 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton
630-407-2800
This self-supporting animal care & control operates a shelter for stray and owner-relinquished non-native animals. They rescue animals that are lost, diseased, injured or in peril.
The staff works together to ensure the shelter animals are healthy and happy in the unfamiliar shelter environment until they are adopted to a loving home. Dupage county aims to prevent and control rabies through vaccinations prior to being adopted out.
Ellie's Animal Rescue, Inc.
54 N. Western Ave., Carpentersville
331-210-2311
This is a non-profit, no-kill rescue shelter focuses on the all-breed dogs. Dogs and puppies are saved from all conditions from owner surrenders to kill shelters. In exchange, the dogs are giving proper vetting, healthy diet and a bed. Individuals can get involved by donating, fostering animals or adopting.
Felines & Canines
6379 N. Paulina, Chicago
773-465-4132
Founded in 1977 as one of Chicago’s first cage-less, no-kill cat shelters, Felines & Canines provides exceptional housing and care for more than 200 feline residents, with a focus on “special needs” animals. As the first shelter in Chicago to successfully integrate FIV-positive cats with the general population, Felines & Canines is also recognized as pioneers in the animal welfare movement.
This shelter will only have cats up for adoption.
Help Save Pets – Oswego
1280 Route 34, Oswego
815-436-1500
Help Save Pets is dedicated to their mission of saving and finding homes for dogs and cats about to be euthanized at animal control facilities. They are proud to share our financial and statistical information with our friends, volunteers and donors. If you are considering donating to them, you’ll find that your donation will be put to good use saving homeless animals.
Help Save Pets – Shorewood
189 Brook Forest Ave. Shorewood
815-436-1500
Help Save Pets is dedicated to their mission of saving and finding homes for dogs and cats about to be euthanized at animal control facilities. They are proud to share our financial and statistical information with our friends, volunteers and donors. If you are considering donating to them, you’ll find that your donation will be put to good use saving homeless animals.
Hinsdale Humane Society
22 N. Elm, Hinsdale
630-323-5630
This shelter is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the care and adoption of homeless animals. They advocate education and public service to encourage the compassionate treatment of animals and to prevent their suffering and neglect.
Hinsdale Humane Society is a Pets for Patriots shelter member.
Humane Society of Calumet Area
421 45th Ave. Munster, IN
219-922-3811
Humane Society of Calumet’s mission is to lead the community in the humane treatment of animals. They work individually and in a partnership with similar valued organizations, and will create a humane community for all animals through education, advocacy, and the promotion of respect and compassion.
Humane Society of Northwest Indiana
6100 Melton Road, Gary, IN
219-938-3339
Magnificent Mutts Rescue
Elmhurst Animal Care Center at 850 S. Riverside Dr. Elmhurst
Magnificent Mutts Rescue is located inside the Hillside Petco. They are dedicated to caring for and finding loving homes for any breed of dog abandoned, abused, neglected or in need of assistance.
Magnificent Mutts Rescue will be participating from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
McHenry County Animal Care and Control
100 N. Virginia St., Crystal Lake
815-459-6222
This initiative is a McHenry County Department of Health division dedicated to the public health of animals. Minor and major offenses are investigated by Animal Control Officers throughout the year. The department promotes community events including pet adoptions, proper pet care and dog bite prevention.
Michiana Humane Society & SPCA, Inc.
722 IN-212, Michigan City, Ind.
219-872-4499
The Michiana Humane Society provides a safe harbor to an average of 1,000 to 1,200 animals yearly. Most of these animals are those surrendered by their owners who can no longer continue to provide care. They also provide for strays, abandoned, and unwanted animals found in our service area. Healthy, non-aggressive animals are assured of their care until they find them homes, no matter how long it takes.
They receive no tax funds to help with their mission, and rely soley on private donations. The staff and volunteers provide shelter, food, medical care, vaccinations, testing, and spay/neutering services.
Naperville Area Humane Society
1620 W. Diehl Road, Naperville
630-420-8989
This shelter is a limited admission animal shelter accepting cats and dogs. Their highly trained staff and volunteers offer care to each animal and work to address his or her individual needs. The staff works to match the needs of each pet with a family eager to adopt a dog or cat.
Because they cannot take all of the animals, they have an evolved approach to the homeless animal crisis to include innovative community service initiatives, such as humane education and a behavior helpline, while they can continue to re-home animals.
New Beginnings for Cats
7701 E. 3500 N. Rd., Bourbonnais
815-472-4734
The non-profit shelter serves as a sanctuary for cats and believes in the motto of “a second chance.” The cage-less environment supports cats any and every cat in need, no matter the health condition. New Beginning For Cats offers programs for senior and veterans looking for companions by waiving adoption fees.
The twelve person staff seeks volunteers that can help in any way including the Facebook, scrapbooking, bakers, auction assistance, seamstresses and more. Founders Pamela and Harry Carpenter welcome any new ideas and interested individuals to the shelter.
Orphans of the Storm
2200 Riverwoods Road, Riverwoods
847-945-0235
Orphans of the Storm has had a long history of humane service to the community. It has been serving most of the animal control facilities and municipalities in Illinois’ Lake and northern Cook Counties.
The shelter offers off-site events along with a unique opportunity to meet a variety of dogs in a relaxed atmosphere. One may interact with pets one-on-one without the distractions of a busy shelter.
PAWS Chicago
1997 N. Clybourn, Chicago, or 1616 Deerfield Road, Highland Park
773-687-4700
This is a no-kill shelter that respects the life of every cat and dog. The mission of this shelter is to end the overlpopulation of homeless animals through solutions, practices and education. PAWS Chicago works to transform animal welfare by setting higher standards in the way animals are treated and developing a sustainable, solutions-based model.
South Suburban Humane Society
1103 West End Ave., Chicago Heights
708-755-7387
The South Suburban Humane Society makes every effort towards ending animal homelessness, reducing pet overpopulation, and ending cruel, inhumane treatment and abuse towards pets. They have a program called “eat and earn” where they pair with local restaurants and a portion of the proceeds go straight to SSHS.
SSHS shetlers animals needing protection, provides education of the public as to ownership duties and responsibilities and investigative pracitces which will prevent abuse.
Spay and Stay
555 E. Townline Rd. (Petco), Vernon Hills
847-289-4557
Spay and Stay’s mission focuses on controlling the numbers of feral cats in the Lake County area and ensuring public safety in the community. The non-profit organization provides caretakers with inexpensive vaccination and spay/neuter services for feral cats in the area. Over 5,000 cats have been sterilized in 10 years.
Tails Humane Society
2250 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb
815-758-2457
TAILS cares for over 2,500 displaced pets each year and accept pets from owners who can no longer keep them. They also work with animal control organizations and other animal welfare organizations, accepting pets from overcrowded shelters when their assistance is needed.
The HomeBuddies Program was created in partnership with the Voluntary Action Center's Meals on Wheels program. Pet food and supply deliveries are made by Meals on Wheels volunteers along with their regularly scheduled visits.
The Anti-Cruelty Society
510 N. Lasalle St.
312-644-8338
This shelter has an open door policy, they will not turn awat any animal in need. The Anti-Cruelty society is a member of the Chciago Animal Shelter Alliance. Aside from providing shelter to dogs and cats, this shelter also focuses on community education.
Tree House Humane Society
7225 N. Western Ave, Chicago
773-262-4000
Tree House is a humane organization that promotes the value of every animal and strives to educate the public about proper and responsible animal care, with a focus on the care and placement of stray cats with special physical and emotional needs. They are committed to finding every healthy and treatable animal a home and to helping lead the way to a No-Kill nation.
They have a Pet Food Pantry Program that assists people on a low or fixed income with supplemental food for their animals. They also supply food to feral cat caretakers who practice TNR and have outdoor managed feral cat colonies. The goal of the program is to enable their clients to keep their pets despite financial difficulties, or maintain their feral colonies. They also counsel clients if they appear to be acquiring more animals than they can properly care for or afford.
*This is a cats only shelter.
Winnebago County Animal Services
4517 N Main St, Rockford 61103
815-319-4100
This animal services center has both adoptable dogs and cats. Microchip clinics are available weekly as well as spay/neuter services.
I Wanna Go Home Rescue
PetCo 10235 Indianapolis Blvd. Highland, IN 46322
708-955-8375
I Wanna Go Home Rescue finds foster homes for animals in need before they are adopted. The rescue services would with other shelters to find homes for dogs in need.
Their goal is to provide assistance to animals in need with medical care, love, attention and in-home fostering that will ultimately lead to adoption!
4 Paws Sake
Paw Palace at 2739 Glenwood Dyer Rd. Lynwood
708-758-3647
Each member of their team has a natural love for all dogs! Their goal is to ensure that as many homeless dogs as possible are cared for properly at their facility, until they find a loving family.
